The Raiders offense tallied just 43 yards in the first half against the Ravens on Sunday but turned it on after the break, leading Las Vegas to a 26-23 upset victory in Baltimore.
Kicker Daniel Carlson notched the winning field goal with less than a minute remaining, and the Raiders defense stopped a last-gasp effort by Baltimore to seal the deal. Quarterback Gardner Minshew started to connect with wide receiver Davante Adams and tight end Brock Bowers after halftime and the offense sizzled despite just 27 rushing yards all afternoon.
The Raiders needed every minute of regulation to earn the win after falling behind 23-13 in the fourth quarter. Here are the winners and losers for the week as the Raiders improved to 1-1 on the campaign.
Winner: WR Davante Adams
Once again, Adams proved he’s among the NFL’s elite. He made a handful of incredible catches as the Raiders marched to victory, including a touchdown grab that evened the score at 23 points.
More impressive than his touchdown, Adams’ catch along the sideline on the Raiders’ previous drive was a sight to behold. It set up a Carlson field goal to bring the Raiders within one score of Baltimore.
WHAT. A. CATCH. #LVvsBAL | 📺 @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/67OiCsDrEX
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 15, 2024
Adams racked up 110 yards receiving, catching nine of his 12 targets. The trust between Adams and Minshew grew exponentially in this game, and that’s a huge positive for Las Vegas moving forward.
Winner: DE Maxx Crosby
The Raiders superstars stepped up on Sunday, as defensive end Maxx Crosby matched Adams’ impact. He was a beast in the first half and made an enormous play after Adams’ game-tying score. His vicious takedown of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson prompted a Ravens punt; the Raiders notched the game-winning score on the ensuing possession.
🤫Momma, there goes that MAN 🦅#LVvsBAL | 📺 @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/zmFYWeJ8Im
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 15, 2024
Crosby racked up four tackles for loss, two QB sacks, a pass breakup, and two QB hits. His pep talk to Minshew after an early interception was yet another display of his elite leadership.
Winner: TE Brock Bowers
Rookie tight end Brock Bowers was a bonafide weapon on Sunday. He caught all nine of his targets for 98 yards, including multiple chunk-yardage plays.
Brock getting us going #LVvsBAL | 📺 @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/jpzOOVPqNU
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 15, 2024
As the game wore on, Bowers and Adams devastated the Ravens defense. It appears the Raiders have found the ideal one-two punch in the passing game with those two players, just as the franchise envisioned when it selected Bowers in the first round.
Winner: LB Robert Spillane
Linebacker Robert Spillane again patrolled the middle of the Raiders’ defense, racking up 10 tackles with eight solo stops. He also had two pass breakups and a huge interception in the second half. He took advantage of a nice play by cornerback Jakorian Bennett, grabbing the ball after Bennett tipped it in the air.
Spill said "Gimme that!" #LVvsBAL | 📺 @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/GmPi0AWm7P
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 15, 2024
After Spillane’s interception, Raiders running back Alexander Mattison notched a short-yardage touchdown to tighten the score at 16-13.
Winner: K Daniel Carlson
Carlson not only made the game-winning kick, he kept the Raiders afloat in the first half with two field goals of 50-plus yards. He made all four of his field goal attempts and both of his extra-point opportunities.
Winner: HC Antonio Pierce
This was a massive upset in the NFL, and coach Antonio Pierce’s fingerprints are all over this win. He kept his cool throughout, even as the Raiders offense was incredibly inept through two quarters.
Winner: OC Luke Getsy
If the Raiders offense continued its woeful play in the second half of this game, Getsy would’ve been roasted all week long, and worse, he’d deserve it. Instead, Getsy made some adjustments and his offense looked formidable despite no running game to speak of.
Winner: QB Gardner Minshew
Minshew threw an unsightly interception in the first half but made play after play after the Raiders abandoned the run game. He decided to force-feed the ball to Adams, and predictably, it worked, opening up opportunities for Bowers in the process.
Loser: OT Kolton Miller
For the second week in a row, left tackle Kolton Miller had a bad game in pass protection. He allowed multiple QB sacks vs. defensive end Odafe Oweh, including on the Raiders first snap from scrimmage.
Loser: Offensive line
The Raiders offensive line helped in this win too, but it was despite their awful effort in the run game. Perhaps most telling, the Ravens had a whopping nine tackles for loss. They weren’t great in pass protection either, allowing five QB sacks and 10 QB hits.
Loser: RB Zamir White
The Raiders won on Sunday without a running game, but that isn’t sustainable. Eventually, running back Zamir White has to get going. He only got nine carries, however, as Getsy called a lot of wide receiver runs and short passes on plays around the edge.
Thankfully for Las Vegas, White carried the ball effectively at the end of the game on the way to the Raiders game-winning field goal. If Getsy can get the run game going, this offense could actually become potent and match the Raiders’ excellent defense.
Suddenly, the Raiders’ start to the season looks extremely promising. After this comeback victory on the road, Las Vegas welcomes the winless Panthers to Allegiant Stadium next week and will have a chance for a winning record.
But as we saw against the Ravens, anything is possible in the NFL. Led by Pierce, a huge week of preparation for Las Vegas has likely already begun.
